Lucia Terranova (1876)

Born 10 Jan 1876 in Corleone, Palermo, Italy

Ancestors

Wife of Antonino Saltaformaggio — married 3 Feb 1894 (to about 1903) in Pointe-a-la-Hache, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States

Wife of Vincenzo Salemi — married 27 Dec 1903 in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Justin Cascio [send private message]

Biography

Lucia Terranova is born 10 January 1876 in Corleone, the daughter of Bernardo Terranova and Angelina Piazza.^[1] Her godparents are Salvatore Indelicato and Orsola, his sister.^[2]

Lucia immigrates to New York in 1893 with her parents, brothers, and sisters, including her older half brother, Giuseppe Morello. Giuseppe and three of Lucia's brothers will found the powerful Morello crime family in New York.

Bernardo Terranova, age 40, his wife Angela Piazza, 44, and children Lucia, 16, Salvatrice, 12, Vincenzo, 7, Ciro, 6, and Nicolo', 3, immigrate together on the SS Alsatia from Naples, arriving in New York on 8 March 1893. Bernardo is listed as a laborer, and literate: his wife and children are not. Unlike almost everyone else they travel with, who have one or two pieces of luggage with them, the Terranovas have sixteen bags with them. Bernardo has six, Angela has four, Lucia, two, and each of the younger children has a piece of luggage.^[3][4]

The Morello-Terranova family lives in New York until the financial panic of 1893 sends the family to Louisiana to take an opportunity in sugarcane farming.

Shortly after her eighteenth birthday, Lucia marries her first husband, Antonio Saltaformaggio, in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, on 3 February 1894.^[5]

It is alleged by family members that Lucia and Antonio had one child, Serafino, aka Joe Fino.^[6] No evidence has been found that confirms this relationship. Cascio-10 15:53, 11 August 2023 (UTC)

A year after moving to Louisiana, the Morello-Terranova family moves to Bryan, Texas, where they farm cotton for a year or two. By 1896 the family returns to New York City.^[5]

It's not clear when Lucia's child is born or when she returns to her family of origin. She appears with them in the 1900 census, when her husband is still living in Louisiana.

In the 1900 federal census of Manhattan, taken 12 June, Bernardo Terranova, 43, born in December 1856 (actually in July 1847), heads a household at 329 East 106th Street with his wife of 26 years, Angelina, 41, born in October 1858 (actually, May 1848). She has had 6 children, all living (actually 9). At home are Lizzie (actually Lucia), 22, born in December 1877 (born in Jan 1876); Teresa (actually Salvatrice), 17, born in April 1883 (actually in July 1880); James, 14, born in May 1886 (born in 1885); Jeremiah ( Ciro), 12, born in April 1888 (born July 1887); Nicholas, 10, born in February 1890 (Jan 1890); and [Terranova-35|Rosy]], 7, born in December 1892 (Aug 1892). Bernardo, Angelina, and their four oldest children were born in Italy and the two youngest were born in New York. They emigrated in 1890. Bernardo is a day laborer. Lizzie and Teresa are cigar makers. The next three children are in school.^[7]

Lucia's first husband is killed on 7 April 1903, near White Castle, Louisiana.^[8] His killing may be retributive, directed at his brother-in-law, Joseph Calamia, for his part in the killing of Salvadore Luciano. Reports of the murder say that Antonino was living in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, with his wife and an infant son.^[9]

On the SS Sardegna, departing Genoa and arriving in New York on 23 September 1903, these passengers from Corleone appear together:

1. Marietta Morello, age 29 (b. 1874), married, joining her husband Gioachino Lima at 337 106th St.

2. Lucia Terranova, 26 (b. 1877), single, joining her father (name not legible)

3. Margherita Lima, 5 (b. 1898), joining the same person

4. Francescina Salemi, 23 (b. 1880), single, joining her cousin Sebastiano di Palermo at 337 115th St. (They are not close relations through descent or marriage.)

5. Nicolina Salemi, 20 (b. 1883), single, joining the same person

All are bound for New York.^[10]

She is living in New York by December 1903, when she and two of her siblings marry.

Lucia remarries to Vincenzo Salemi, brother of Nicolena (her brother Giuseppe's second wife), son of Giuseppe Salemi and Carmela Marino, on 27 December 1903 in Manhattan.^[11] This marriage is not transcribed in the Corleone records. Cascio-10 23:30, 18 January 2019 (UTC)

Lucia and Vincenzo have six known children: Giuseppe/Joe (1904), Carmela/Mildred (c. 1906), Bernard/Benny (c. 1907), Leonardo/Jimmy, Peter (1910), and Frank Nick/Nicky (1915).

Giuseppe, called "Joe," is born 1 January 1904 in New York City.^[12]

Leonardo, known as "Jimmy," is known from a child of Carmela's.

Peter is born 23 February 1910 in New York City.^[13]

Frank Nick is born 7 January 1915 in New York City.

Vincenzo is shot to death on 19 June 1923, a victim of the gang wars in New York. He is a member of his brother-in-law's organization.^[14]

Giuseppe marries Ida Provenzano on 28 February 1925 in New York City.

Carmela, called "Mildred," marries John Mirabella on 17 May 1928 in New York City.^[15]

Bernard marries Rena Romani on 9 October 1929 in New York City.^[16]

Frank Nick dies 9 December 1987.

Peter dies on 15 February 1888 in New York City.^[17]

Sources

1. ↑ Certificato di nascita, record no. 18, Lucia Terranova, stamped by the municipality of Corleone, dated and signed 8 May 2003. Color copy received by Justin Cascio from Vivian Lima on 1 September 2016.
2. ↑ Baptism of Luciam Terranova, 10 January 1876, "Italia, Palermo, Diocesi di Monreale, Registri Parrocchiali, 1531-1998," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DYMQ-RVK?cc=2046915&wc=MG37-K6D%3A351041801%2C351041802%2C351142201 : 20 May 2014), Corleone > San Martino > Battesimi 1872-1877 > image 356 of 419; Archivio di Arcidiocesi di Palermo (Palermo ArchDiocese Archives, Palermo).
3. ↑ Ship manifest, SS Alsatia, arriving 8 March 1893. Retrieved from Libertyellisfoundation.org on 31 January 2016.
4. ↑ "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J6BQ-M2K : accessed 11 March 2016), Beranrdo Tenanova, 08 Mar 1893; citing departure port Naples, arrival port New York, ship name Alsatia, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Mike Dash. The First Family: Terror, Extortion and the Birth of the American Mafia. Accessed https://books.google.com/books?id=zKtZNLbcpGEC&pg=PT381&lpg=PT381&dq=antonio+saltaformaggio+killed&source=bl&ots=-S_YAHDol-&sig=1PD3IZ_0NyGTgxYMbKrkzrhCv-M&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiA-YW-qLLOAhXj5oMKHSyPAhcQ6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=antonio%20saltaformaggio%20killed&f=false on 8 August 2016. Dash cites private information from the Saltaformaggio family.
6. ↑ Cynthia Calamia. Ancestry message board. Published 11 August 2001. https://www.ancestry.com/boards/thread.aspx?mv=flat&m=63&p=surnames.terranova Accessed 18 January 2019.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6S7W-S88?cc=1325221&wc=9B7R-HZG%3A1030551901%2C1035804001%2C1036212201 : 5 August 2014), New York > New York County > ED 907 Borough of Manhattan, Election District 21 New York City Ward 32 > image 56 of 92; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
8. ↑ Critchley, David. The Origin of Organized Crime in America: The New York City Mafia, p. 57. Footnote 145 cites the Times-Picayune of 7 May 1903.
9. ↑ The Murdered Italian Found at Whitecastle. (1903, May 7). Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA).
10. ↑ Manifest of the Sardegna retrieved 18 May 2020 from the Ellis Island website via Steve Morse gold search.
11. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:243W-FVD : accessed 16 February 2016), Salemi Vincenzo and Lucia Terranova, 27 Dec 1903; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,570,991.
12. ↑ "New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2W4C-J41 : accessed 16 February 2016), Lucia Terranova in entry for Giuseppi Salame, 01 Oct 1904; citing Birth, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,984,331.
13. ↑ Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line] > Search for 'Vincent Terranova'. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007.
14. ↑ Warner, Richard, Angelo Santino, and Lennert Van 't Riet. "The Early New York Mafia: An Alternative Theory." The Informer: May 2014.
15. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24W5-NLD : accessed 16 February 2016), Lucia Terranova in entry for John P Mirabella and Carmela M Salemi, 17 May 1928; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,653,344.
16. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:248S-6TM : accessed 16 February 2016), Bernard Salemi and Rina Romaui, 09 Oct 1929; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,653,940.
17. ↑ Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011 > Search for 'Peter Salemi, DOB 1910 in New York' Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.